[Verizon] VZW/LTE Samsung Galaxy Nexus: All Things Root Guide (last update 4/4/2014)

[The FAQ]

*** Important Note ***

This List is maintained by the Guides, if you have any input on new Roms/Themes/Kernels, it is suggested you contact any Guide. If you see something within this list that is wrong, or broken link, or not for the Galaxy Nexus, please inform us, or, hit the

button and ask a Mod to bring it to our attention.

Thanks for your help!

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Note / Warning / Reminder: unlocking your bootloader on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will
wipe-out the contents of your device's internal "SD card". This means you'll lose any settings, pictures, apps, etc. So, keep this in mind when / if you ever undertake that step of unlocking your bootloader.
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Click the "Show" button below for a root warning / disclaimer:

Spoiler

Quick note / disclaimer: as always, you are ultimately responsible for any root-related activities on your phone.

You should understand not only the benefits of rooting, but also any possible consequences (voided warranty, boot-loops, bricking, etc.) that might occur as a result of your root-related actions.

AndroidForums.com / Phandroid.com, its owner, and staff are not liable for any root actions you might undertake as a result of information used from this site.

Reading, researching, understanding, and carefully following the published steps and instructions can go a long way towards helping to make your rooting efforts a successful one.

General Information

• Root Terminology
• http://androidforums.com/faqs/443432-what-root-being-rooted-mean.html
• You've went and rooted the phone. Now What???
• Note: I experienced some hangs while using the fastboot and adb utilities when my USB cable was plugged-in to a USB 3.0 port; these issues disappeared when I reverted back to a USB 2.0 port.
• http://androidforums.com/galaxy-nexus-all-things-root/469782-ota-updates-vs-clockworkmod-root.html (i.e., will I lose root if I take an OTA?)

How to Root

• http://androidforums.com/verizon-ga...ot-restore-more-vzw-samsung-galaxy-nexus.html
• Wug's Galaxy Nexus Toolkit
• Unified Android (Samsung mostly) Toolkit

Factory Images/Official OTA's

Note: The link has been updated to all the Stock factory images avalable, 4.0.4, 4.1.1, and 4.2.2. The MD5 and SHA1 checksums are available from the site linked.

• Stock images for VZW (Verizon) CDMA/LTE "toro/mysid" from Google:
  
  Factory Images for Nexus Devices
• Odin Factory Image(4.0.2)
• Odin Galaxy Nexus i515 pit file

Custom Recoveries

Note: Scary Alien's free "Android Root Toolkit" app is a good source for most custom recoveries, he keeps it fairly up to date, but not always. The first link below is just a legacy custom recovery, with the advent of Jelly bean Android 4.2.x, you should not use that recovery. The rest will be Android 4.2.x compatible.

• Original ClockworkMod 5.5.0.4
• Latest ClockworkMod recoveries, all devices, regular and touch
  • For purposes of this thread, in the above link you want the links next to where it says "Google Galaxy Nexus (Verizon)"
• Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP)

There's something that needs to be said as a caution before you decide to go from Android version 4.1.x to Android version 4.2.x.; both are known as "Jelly Bean". Most if not all of the files and directories on your 'sdcard' will be re-arraigned. I have found that you must upgrade your custom recovery to one that is compatable with Jelly Bean 4.2.x. Link to thread with more info:

• http://androidforums.com/verizon-ga...-latest-jelly-bean-roms-edited-3-24-13-a.html

Kit Kat 4.4 ROMs:

These ROMs require an update in CWM or TWRP (whatever recovery you're using) for them to work correctly.

• KitKang (Nightlies 11/26/13)
• cMetal (based off of CM11)
• "Shiny's" Purely AOSP
• The Experience Project
• SlimKat (Alpha Build***)
• FML - Fork My Life
• BeanStalk 4.4
• http://androidforums.com/verizon-ga...-wifi-display-cm-remix-burst-kernel-kang.html

Jelly Bean 4.3.x ROMs:

• 3.99 Paranoid Android
• CyanogenMod 10.2.2 Snapshot (No RC or Stable Download as of 11/3/13)
• Slimbean Official 4.3
• Liquid Smooth v2.10

Jelly Bean 4.2.x ROMs:

• Jelly Belly
• JBSourcery
• AOKP [JB 4.2.1] Build 2
• VZW Stock JDQ39 Rooted with Mods.
• Project M
• Xylon ROM
• Carbon ROM
• BAMF Paradigm
• Another AOKP using Aroma and much more
• Mianogen PACman
• Paranoid Android

Jelly Bean 4.1.x ROMs:

• Galaxy Nexus 4.1.1 (JellyBean) ROM Feature Comparison
• Jelly Belly
• JBSourcery 4.1.x <--This link is for JBS 3.1, but I think their version 3.2 is in that thread, which is their last android 4.1.2 based rom.
• AOKP Milestone 1 4.1.2 here select to top one, paying attention to the MD5 sum.
• MIUI v5

If you are still running an Ice Cream Sandwich ROM and decide you want to upgrade to a Jelly Bean ROM, please realize that it has been noted that flashing the Jelly Bean bootloader as part of the process has ended up with a much more harmonious outcome. Link to follow.



Ice Cream Sandwich ROMs:

Since just about everyone is on Jelly Bean, I think I will leave these links alone, as a 'legacy', however because of that I cannot say for sure that any of them are still 'alive'.

• Official MIUI Rom
• Redemption Rom ICS - Toro Edition v 1.0.7
• LiquidSmooth-v1 Final
• Tranquil Ice 4.0.3 for the Galaxy Nexus
• AOSP 4.0.3 CDMA Bugless Beast
• AOKP Builds -and- Milestones
• AOSP 4.0.3 SKANKWICH KANG 12202011-1640 Go ninja, go ninja, go! (CM9)
• AOSP 4.0.3 CDMA GummyNex
• RootzBoat 4.0.3 V4
• Android Revolution Hd&#8482;
• ICL53F Deodexed Rooted Busyboxed + Softkeys MOD
• ViciousMIUI V4
• Codename Android
• DianXin OS
• Apex 1.0.0
• BAMF Paradigm
• Dark AOSP v3.0.7
  
• Clean AOSP 4.0.3
• GrapeGum GummyNex Kang
• axi0m
• TeeRom
• SimplexRom a5
• Eclipse
• ICSSourcery

Themes

• [HOW TO] Easy Theming
• Theming tutorial
• Ultimate Online Theming Kitchen

Kernels

• DER KERNEL (Trinity)
• GLaDOS v1.5
• HeyItsLou Defiant v3
• franco.Kernel #15.1
• Samsung Stock[3.0.13](v0.0.1b)
• AOSP Project-Achilles (Android 4.0.3) - RootzWiki
• GSM/LTE IML74K "Apex" Kernel V2 Test (12/19/11) - RootzWiki
• CDMA *Matr1x* v1.5 OC | SLQB | BFS | TUN and much more! - xda-developers
• JDkernel Tuna | RootzWiki
• leankernel: Minimalistic (1/15/12)
• LTE 3.0.17 ICS4.0.2/3/UV,GPU+CPU OC,CIFS,SLQB,OTG,FIOPS(v010)[Jan-17]

Radios / Bootloaders:

• Pete's links died, so for now I will link my files, but they lack any explanations:
  • Index of /gnex/Radios
  • Index of /gnex/Bootloaders

Modifications

• AOKP Milestone 3 + Fatsix transparent nova mod = Works perfectly!
• Nova Launcher, Invisible Folders
• Softkey Mods - 4.0.2 | 4.0.3 | Axi0m | AOKP
• HOW-TO Custom soft key background images | XDA
• Auto Brightness Patch & Advanced Power Menu | XDA
• Boot animations
• Softkey collection and how-to
• Fullscreen 1280x720

Tools & Utilities

• ADB (Android Debug Bridge)
• MD5 checksum verification
• Titantium Backup / Titanium Backup Tutorial
• Root Explorer
• Odin / RUU / RSD Lite / etc.

Downloads

• Google Apps Package
• Android SDK

Misc:

• The_Chief's Quick Guide to Flashing a ROM
• iowabowtech's guide to adb push files
• How to flash the Verizon Galaxy Nexus factory image manually
• Placesaver for a similar guide that doesn't use TiBu